Oakland school district, teachers reach tentative contract agreement

A tentative agreement has been reached for a new contract for Oakland public school teachers, an Oakland Unified School District spokesman said Thursday.

District spokesman Troy Flint said:

“The key word is tentative.”

Negotiators for the school district and the Oakland Education Association, which represents teachers, are still “working out the kinks” in the agreement, which was reached at about midnight, Flint said.

Flint said he hopes to release details about the tentative agreement later Thursday.

Union president Trish Gorham couldn’t immediately be reached for comment.

Gorham said in February that Oakland teachers have only had a total wage increase of 3.25 percent since 2003.

She said teachers were seeking a wage increase of 14 to 17 percent over three years.

Flint said in February that the school district was offering a 10 percent increase over the next 18 months, plus an additional 1.5 percent if an expected increase in state funding comes through.